Yale, Duke, UPenn, WashU USP, Robertson@UNC, or Vanderbilt?

Hello!

I am really fortunate to have great options for college. I have narrowed my college selection to Yale, Duke, UPenn, WashU University Scholars Program (8 year medical program), the Robertson scholarship at UNC, and the Cornelius scholarship at Vanderbilt.

I am thinking about going to medical school following the undergraduate years. I want to study neuroscience/biochemistry and international affairs/global health. I am also looking for a good college experience in regards to social life, sports, intellectual environment, etc. I also want to ensure that I will be in good shape to apply to top graduate programs.

I would really appreciate if anyone could help me decide where to go or provide input. Deadlines are coming up and I would love some advice ASAP!

Thanks!

I would go for the $$$ at Carolina or Vandy, unless the others are very cheap/affordable and you strongly prefer one of them. Medical school is very expensive, so keep college costs down.

The Wash U program sounds good in theory, but its stringent requirements (3.8 GPA and 36 MCAT) are not easy to fulfill; a 36 MCAT is in the 96th-97th percentile. To put that in perspective, Duke Med’s mean admitted MCAT score is 34.

The Robertson is a terrific program with built-in summer opportunities and great advising, and I really can’t say enough good things about it. Being able to draw on the full resources of two major universities was a blessing for me and, I’m convinced, a significant factor in my grad school applications.

Thank you! If WashU is also a full ride, do you think it would be reasonable to still pay for Yale or UPenn?

I think the Robertson is hard to turn down. In addition to having the opportunity to attend a top 10 private university and top 5 public, the social opportunities are immense.

Here’s a comment from last year by a Robertson at UNC I like a lot (although it is not the same as your predicament - the scholar raises a lot of good points) regarding a member who was deciding between Princeton and the Robertson.

http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/princeton-university/1594258-princeton-vs-robertson-scholarship-at-duke-unc.html

Congratulations on all these great opportunities! Before I give my comments, I do want to give my specific background. I am currently a Robertson Scholar at UNC. My choice was between Dartmouth and the Robertson. Given that Dartmouth gave me no money, the Robertson was the obvious choice. I’m very close friends with Duke Robertson Scholars and Princeton students. I would largely agree with all of your disadvantages and advantages that you point out about the Robertson program. I’ll try to recognize my own bias and do my best to recommend accordingly. Also, I do not know much about Cambridge, so I will just not open that can of worms.

I do want to caution on a few things. First, consulting and investment banking are very common for both Princeton graduates and Robertson Scholars. That is less a symptom of each program, but rather the incentive graduates have to make a great deal of money. The Big Three management consulting firms recruit at all three institutions. Second, the Robertson is a young scholarship program. It’s name is well-recognized, but the amount of graduate merit scholars it has produced is low. Why? Because the number of Robertson scholars that have graduated is much lower than the number of Duke-AB or Princeton graduates. So judging the accomplishments of alumni is a hard gauge to judging these institutions. Third, as another comment articulated, these programs are not destinations. In your specific situation, I would be a firm believer that it’s all about what you do, not where you go.

I want to heavily emphasize that the biggest weighing factor is where you would be most happy. I highly recommend visiting these campuses before making your decision. See which you enjoy as far as the environment, people, and discussions are concerned. Any factors of that nature are more important than I can describe. I know this is an unsatisfying answer to many prospective college first-years. When I was in your shoes, I would have been unsatisfied with this response. Furthering a start to success with a better name, better connections, or more recognition is important, but alas, a wash when it comes to these great opportunities. I had friends turn down Harvard for Duke. I had friends turn down Duke for Harvard. In the end, the difference between Princeton and the Robertson comes in one dimension: which makes you so crazy you never want to leave?

These days, graduate school is the name that matters so much more. Undergraduate is important in getting into a good graduate school, but again, this centers on what you do, rather than where you go. Both institutions will give you great opportunities to do what you want to do. There is no doubt. The difference is what environment of greater contentment will foster these accomplishments. Talking to alumni or visiting in-person are the best ways to do this. Good luck and let me know if you have any questions about the Robertson that Google cannot solve. I can even put you in touch with other Brits that are currently Robertsons and that faced similar decisions. Or you may have decided already. Either way, best wishes.

The Medical Scholars program is very very selective. Anyone good enough to qualify for the program will not have any trouble in maintaining a 3.8 or getting a 36 MCAT.

Thanks for the input. In terms of a well-rounded college experience, if yale doesnt work out from a financial perspective, would WashU USP or the Robertson at UNC be better? Any specifics would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

Congratulations - this is an amazing accomplishment; you must be a stellar applicant.

First, you cannot go wrong with any of the options; they are all amazing universities/programs. As a Carolina senior I’m biased, but I think the Robertson offers an unparalleled opportunity- the opportunity to attend two fabulous universities for free. Carolina has excellent academics programs in public health and science. Additionally, UNC has a beautiful campus, is in the quintessential college town, has top-notch athletics (which I understand many do not care for), and strong school spirit. In addition, the social opportunities are immense - especially for Robertson Scholars.

PM any questions. Also, if you would like, I have two friends that are Robertson Scholars I can refer you to.

Go for the freebie at UNC.

I am currently leaning toward taking the Robertson. Is there any disadvantage in going to Carolina? Any regrets? Every school has its positives but I think some insight into the downsides of each school will better help me make my decision. Thanks!

UNC seems the obvious choice. The Robertson represents a level of prestige at least at the level of a Yale undergrad degree. The mentorship, research and summer opportunities are superb. The price isn’t right, it’s perfect. I’ll 3rd the warnings from warblersrule and green678 about Wash U USPs ultra stringent requirements.

I concur with those who recommend the Robertson scholarship at UNC. Simply an outstanding opportunity.

Will I be able to or be prepared to be a competitive applicant at some of the top medical schools after graduating from UNC as a Robertson, from WashU as a part of USP, or from Yale? I think thats also a question im trying to consider.

Without ANY doubt: yes, yes, yes.

This question should absolutely not factor into decision making here.

Although the student body at UNC doesn’t have the depth of a place like Yale (and it never will) it sends a lot of students to top 20 medical schools. And a lot of the students who end up at top medical schools were not on any scholarship/merit at Carolina. As a Robertson at Duke once told me, if you take the top 35-40% of Carolina, it would be equivalent to Duke. In addition to having relatively strong in-staters, UNC gets top-notch OOSers who are very strong students. If your goal is to end up at Harvard or Stanford med etc, you can, without a doubt, make it happen at UNC.

Thank you! So, I think Yale will eventually be thrown out because of finances. What do you guys think of UNC Robertson versus WashU USP?

For medical school admissions in general, the undergrad prestige is a relatively minor factor compared to gpa, MCAT, and ECs so do not worry about that in your selection. Honestly, going to the school where you could get a higher gpa would be more helpful come application time.

The WashU program seems great and if you’re a genius and are confident that you would have no issues with the requirements, it would be the easy choice (the type of person who gets a 2400 SAT w/o much preparation). If you’re hesitant, the requirements may actually create more stress than if you were to go through the normal pre-med process (ironically enough). Even otherwise, I’ve hear WashU is pretty difficult for pre-med so that in mind, I would lean towards UNC with the $$ and excellent program opportunity.

Hello again,

I ended up receiving substantial financial aid from Yale. It makes it very doable for my family. I’ve pretty much narrowed it down to Yale or the Robertson Scholarship at UNC. What do you guys think?? Please take into account experience, education, future opportunity, etc.

Thank you!!

PLEASE HELP!

If it’s very doable from the perspective of your families finances, one would be hard pressed to ignore the totality of the college experience at Yale…head to New Haven!

Do you think the opportunities at Yale will surpass that of Robertson?